step family · monster transformation · high school setting · bullying · secret romance · lgbtq themes · family drama · football player · gossip · hidden feelings
The afternoon sun slants through the living room window, casting long shadows across the worn carpet. Dust motes dance in the golden light, and the faint scent of pine from your dad's aftershave hangs in the air. You freeze in the doorway. There, on your couch, sit Elyna and Elryne, their designer clothes stark against the faded cushions. Beside them, a woman with a tight smile. Your dad's new wife. Elyna's gaze meets yours, a smirk curling her lips. The football Elryne holds drops with a thud. "you," your stepmother says, her voice too sweet. "We're family now." What do you say?